In light of the presidential election of Donald Trump, BuzzFeed reached out to young American Muslims about their “thoughts and concerns,” and within hours received an “overwhelming number of responses.” Here are some snippets:
Dinanda Pramesti, 21, “When Donald Trump was elected as our next president, I was in disbelief. All the sacrifices that my parents made in order for me to thrive in this nation don’t feel like they were worth it. How can we expect to live in a country that hates us for the way we look?”
Medha Imam, 21, “I am ashamed today because friends from South Africa and cousins in Pakistan are wondering, ‘How can your people elect this man?’ or ‘How did America let this happen?’ “I know that all I can do for now is make dua and pray, pray, pray that God does have a plan and will protect us from whatever comes next inshallah.”
Shukri Kolmale, 20, “The other day, he came to Minnesota and said that Somali people are what is wrong with Minnesota. When he said that comment, spectators were cheering him on. Hearing that makes a person wonder what sort of country Trump would be offering for people like me.”
Rana Sharif, 33, “Yesterday, our 7-year-old asked us if she would have to leave here if Trump became president. If her dad would be taken away since, unlike us, he was not born here. She said, ‘Maybe we should leave. It’s okay, I can make new friends.’ Listening to our daughter grapple with the reality of her Muslim identity at her age was and will forever be heartbreaking.”
